We Need Training

We need training (1Corinthians 16: 13)

Paul gives us 4 things for our instructions in v13 to do

Watch, stand firm, be brave and be strong

I am not only talking to the men here, I am talking to the wives, the mothers, the grandmothers - all females as well

Scripture does not discriminate and neither do I

We read James 1:2 this morning, he nailed it in the first part of the verse he said My Brethren

That is you, your spouse, your children, your neighbor that is everyone - kind of like whosover

Boot camp - we are constantly in training and I will be honest with you, once we graduate boot camp, we have the basics

You consistently train throughout the year

We need continual training

After police academy where I learned the basics

We constantly trained throughout each year

I have been out of law enforcement for approximately 10 years

I couldn’t walk back in tomorrow and pick up where I left off because I haven’t trained

Same thing here, you can’t get the basics on how to be a man and not train - you will fail - let me repeat that, you will fail

Watch

Keep your head on a swivel

We are constantly being attacked spiritually

This spiritual warfare is a real thing

A christian is always in danger & we should always be watching

Satan is constantly searching to and fro to see who he can catch sleeping, not paying attention, distracted

Back in the day, they had watch towers

If the watchman fell asleep, the enemy could sneak in and attack

Same concept here

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

There are reasons why these scriptures are here and still apply in 2026

Satan wants my testimony, he wants my marriage, my kids, my house, he wants me destroyed

He hates my preaching, he hates my voice, everything about me - He hates you as well

John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you

Satan wants us to quit

I asked you this morning, how hard can you be hit and keep moving forward

Be watchful, be watchful and be watchful

Stand firm

We need to stand fast in our faith

Keep your ground, put the whole armor of God on and don’t waiver

James 1: 6-8

Don’t be double minded, you will be unstable in all ways.

know what you are standing for and stand firm.

If you are unsure and doubt

you will waver like a wave in the sea and will be tossed around

If we are not standing firm on the word of God and doubt what he says and does

We have no right to complain when God doesn’t give us wisdom on making wise decisions

When you fully trust and you stand firm, God will give you everything you need to make the wise decisions you are looking for

Quit (be brave)

The only way you can truly be brave is to know that you are protected

The only way you can do this is to fully trust God that he has your back

Everyone knows the story of David and Goliath

You look at the physical aspects of each one of them and you will see real quick that David doesent stand a chance

But I am positive that David wasn’t afraid b/c he knew w/o a shadow of doubt that God had his back

He said is there not a cause, have we forgotten who we serve, have we forgotten who is our protector

Church is there not a cause

Let’s let Joseph Preach, you think he wasn’t afraid

Daniel in the lions den

Elijah facing all of the Bale prophets by himself

3 Hebrew boys that stood up to King Nebuchadnezzar

What all these people had in common was bravery

The reason they had bravery was because they had God, they truly believed and they fully trusted

How do I know this, b/c they was all willing to die but still moved forward

They was all punched but kept moving forward - that is bravery

Be strong

Not talking about strength like Samson pushing pillars down

Not talking about how much can you bench press

Paul is talking about your strength in faith

Take my wife for example

I have seen her take some punches from satan

She is small in size but she can pack a punch of faith with the best of them

That woman loves God and she is faithful to him

You need somebody or yourself to be prayed for, see her

She is a prayer warrior - that is what I call strength